Women’s Work and Wages

Abstract

Since the early 1980s the gender wage gap has fallen in most economically advanced countries, although a gender wage differential remains in all countries. We first document for several industrialized countries recent trends in the gender gap in labour force participation and earnings. We then outline several explanations for the gender wage gap at a given point in time, changes in the gender gap over time, and differences in its extent across countries. Next, we consider the empirical evidence in support of various explanations. We conclude with some thoughts about future prospects for the gender wage gap.